innkeepers cringe and fawn, and
cheat, and in country places murder you. Yet will they give you clean
sheets by paying therefor. Delicate in eating, and abhor from putting
their hand in the plate; sooner they will apply a crust or what not.
They do even tell of a cardinal at Rome, which armeth his guest's left
hand with a little bifurcal dagger to hold the meat, while his knife
cutteth it. But methinks this, too, is to be wiser than Him, who made
the hand so supple and prehensile."

Eli. "I am of your mind, my lad."

"They are sore troubled with the itch. And ointment for it, unguento per
la rogna, is cried at every corner of Venice. From this my window I saw
an urchin sell it to three several dames in silken trains, and to two
velvet knights."

Catherine. "Italy, my lass, I rede ye wash your body i' the tub
o' Sundays; and then ye can put your hand i' the plate o' Thursday
withouten offence."

"Their bread is lovely white. Their meats they spoil with sprinkling
cheese over them; O, perversity! Their salt is black; without a lie. In
commerce these Venetians are masters of the earth and sea; and govern
their territories wisely. Only one flaw I find; the same I once heard
a learned friar cast up against Plato his republic: to wit, that here
women are encouraged to venal frailty, and do pay a tax to the State,
which, not content with silk and spice, and other rich and honest
freights, good store, must trade in sin. Twenty thousand of these
Jezebels there be in Venice and Candia, and about, pampered and honoured
for bringing strangers to the city, and many live in princely palaces of
their own. But herein methinks the politic signors of Venice forget what
King David saith, 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh
but in vain.' Also, in religion, they hang their cloth according to the
wind, siding now with the Pope, now with the Turk; but aye with the god
of traders, mammon hight. Shall flower so cankered bloom to the world's
end? But since I speak of flowers, this none may deny them, that they
are most cunning in making roses and gilliflowers to blow unseasonably.
In summer they nip certain of the budding roses and water them not. Then
in winter they dig round these discouraged plants, and put in cloves;
and so with great art rear sweet-scented roses, and bring them to market
in January. And did first learn this art of a cow. Buds she grazed in
summer, and they sprouted at yule. Women have sat in the doctors